Saturday, 31 May 2008

That's all I can remember and I don't know who from. Apologies! But here is my reply to this EVER so late tagging business.

Apparently these are the rules:1. Link the person who tagged you. (sorry again!)2. Mention the rules in your blog.3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them.5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger's blogs letting them know they've been tagged. (if you want to play, consider all of yourselves tagged!!!)

ONE: I am a hat person. I look good in hats. If that sounds obnoxious it's because it's the truth.

TWO: I am a francophile. It means that I am slightly obsessed with France.

THREE: I like to play chess. If any of my fellow bloggers would like to play if we ever meet up, I'd be much obliged.

FOUR: I cry easily. I truly don't like the fact that I become a blubbering idiot.

FIVE: I love people with red hair. This is definitely an unique quirk of mine. Scotland be warned.

Thursday, 22 May 2008

Here are more whimsical visuals from past "Et Vous" campaigns. They make me fall in love with model Carmen Kass all over again. The clothes are mucho loveable too.

Sorry for the sporadic postings...I feel like an island-hopper because you see, I've moved again to another place and I have no access to the computer unless I post on campus. And then there are these impending exams...

Sunday, 18 May 2008

It's raining cats and dogs outside. I came to the library with the intention of studying for an exam but here I am clicking away on the keyboard with a copy of "The Interpretation of Murder" by Jed Rubenfeld in my lap. I promise to go study after this posting, it's just that I've been meaning to write about this since forever and I never got around to it until now. Even though it's gloomy and pouring outside we can always imagine that it's a cloudless, sunny day with the breeze blowing our tussled hair, walking on the streets of France (!) in a stress-free, nonchalant manner. At least that's what I wish I was doing right this minute. Model Carmen Kass is doing it. I think French brand "Et Vous" pretty much encompasses this carefree, natural style in their advertising visuals. Check this out, I fell in love with it at just one glance.Above is the current 2008 S/S collection. I love the tribal mood that's been reinvented using a more modern and romantic style. It's like Vanessa Bruno, Isabel Marant and Charlotte Ronson all in one! Comfortable, basic items with dashes of colour, bohemian vibe with a Parisienne edge. I badly need that tie-dyed red shirt and I could conjure up a zillion outfits if I had that blue tie-dyed scarf! Signing out.

Sunday, 11 May 2008

Sorry to start this post on such a bad note but do I have to remind retailers that there is a reason why "high street fashion" exists in the world???!!! In Seoul this is apparently not so. Lotte company has completely over inflated the prices for Korean Zara. It's unbelievable I think they took it literally because it is very high indeed-in price.

I waltzed into the store yesterday as planned and was greeted with chic decor, ambient lights, good music plus functioning fitting rooms! As you can see in the few pics I snapped (for some reason I was under the impression that I wasen't supposed to take pics so I didn't take that many) the clothes were truly fabulous, colourful, above-average quality BUT were way too expensive for my budget. What is my budget you may ask? It's a normal, uni student, price-savvy attitude that I bring with myself budget when I go shopping. Bottom line is I cannot afford these clothes. I will not pay around thirty bucks for an itty-bitty tye-dye tank top. The silk, vibrant tops and flowing skirts were killing me! I liked this cool tone, halter-neck dress below for the summer but it retailed for about 200 dollars like the majority of the dresses on the hangers. No show here. I also liked this dress too but it was heavy on price and heavy on weight.Nowadays since I'm considerably more tight on the budget I was peeved that the clothes cost double (or more!) of their European counterparts. I was also annoyed about the fact that I could read the Euro price under the Korean price sticker and was murmuring to myself that "I would totally get this if it was in Euros and if I was in Europe". It's quite disappointing really. I was hoping that they wouldn't do another "Banana Republic on us again" but they did (when Banana Republic came into Lotte department stores they totally upped the prices). I'm not saying that the clothes quality doesn't meet up to the price but I thought Zara was a brand which prided on affordable, on-trend alternatives for smart and budget-smart fashionistas (guys too). I'm just really disappointed in Korean Zara, while career women may have the freedom to spluge on these clothes normal people like me do not have that privilege. If you want to push customers like me out of your retail list feel free to do so. But heck, that's just my opinion.

Friday, 9 May 2008

We're having lovely weather nowadays. The flowers are in bloom and the weather is starting to really heat up. I have great news for us Seoul-lites. On the last day of April, two spiffing brand-new ZARA stores opened up in down-town Seoul. The first is in Lotte Young Plaza, Myeongdong (명동) and the second is at COEX Mall, Kangnam (강남). I will be hobbling (yes, still limping!) my tushie over to COEX tomorrow to see what Zara has in store. I have heard that the merchandise will be slightly different from the European chain and more "asian" orientated, whatever that means. As long as they don't have the same old same old and it doesn't disappoint. Hmm...wonder when H&M comes in....maybe I'm getting too ahead of myself.

Tuesday, 6 May 2008

I know, I'm being silly. I just haven't seen those pearly whites for a very, very long time so I'm beside myself at the moment. Christina Ricci here looks like she's about to burst out from her Wonder Woman costume (regardless of the fact that she's at the 2008 MET Costume Gala). I'm loving it!

Monday, 5 May 2008

I meant to post this a while ago but with my computer crashing, moving to a new place, hurting my ankle and then my wrist (long story) I had no time to do anything at all and blogging was the least of my worries. You've probably seen these pictures around the net and in magazines already. The Chanel 2008 Spring ready-to-wear collection presented a massive stars and stripes fiasco (not to mention YSL). Since then loads of celebrities have been seen in these trend-setting Chanel star shirts but for all us normal people we can't always afford that particular Chanel speciality especially if this print turns out to be a passing trend. You don't want to spend a small fortune on a shirt and not wear it in three years! So to go along with this star trend, I suggest wearing cute star-printed graphic tees or accessorizing with little dangly star earrings. This way, one can keep up with the trend but play with subtlety at the same time. Check out this Sass & Bide Child's Play Embroidered Tank above. I think it has the right amount of sequins for shine during the day and for glamming up at night. Star printed accessories such as these printed scarves that I've found below would be a perfect way to follow this trend also. I'm really liking the white one with blue stars, it's a nice contrast!These are from G Market, a korean internet shopping site (only for lucky Seoul-ites, sorry!). Even Rachel Bilson has got her neck around one! What about you, have you embraced any stars?

Thursday, 1 May 2008

I had to post this. Hilary Duff is looking unusually more gorgeous than usual. She is positively GLOWING. I'm not sure that this hair colour is working for her though, it's too bleached out against her tanned skin.